Two-piece golf tees are known as described, for example, in the following U.S. Patents among others: Lerick U.S. Pat. No. 2,839,304; Kelly U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,998; Morabeto U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,208; and Matsuura U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,974. Each of these golf tees comprise a spike, and an upper portion which is displaceable relative to the spike, whereby, when the golf ball is struck, if the top of a golf tee is also struck by the club it typically displaces without digging the spike out of the dirt. This avoids the consumption of energy from the golf swing by such digging of the spike out of its seat in the dirt, resulting in an increased transfer of energy from the club to the ball that can result in increased golf ball driving distances.
Also, there has been sold in the United States a golf tee which comprises a ground spike, to which there is attached by a screw a longitudinally slit piece of rubbery, elastic plastic tubing having an enlarged outer end. A plastic sleeve is captured by this rubbery, elastic tubing, with the plastic sleeve having an internal flange in its bore to permit sliding of the sleeve along the rubbery, elastic tube while preventing removal of the sleeve from the engagement with the rubbery, elastic tube. Also, the outer end of the captured plastic sleeve has a plastic partition across the bore, sealed in position.
Such a tee as described above comprises five separate parts, which are assembled typically by hand into a single golf tee which has a displaceable upper portion, exhibiting advantages as described above.
In accordance with this invention, a typically two-piece golf tee is provided which exhibits a greatly reduced manufacturing cost when compared with the golf tee described immediately above. Each of the two parts of the tee of this invention may be molded on a low cost, high volume basis. The two parts may be assembled by a simple snap-fitting operation, to provide a displaceable-top golf tee in which the top is, nevertheless, essentially permanently attached to the spike portion so that the top does not get lost. Such independent action of the golf tee of this invention results in minimal resistance between the tee, club, and ball upon impact. This can mean longer yardage and greater accuracy on drives. Also, the chances are greatly reduced that the tee is dug out of the ground by the golf swing. Rather, the spike remains firmly emplaced in the ground, while the top portion displaces, absorbing a smaller amount of energy and getting more quickly out of the way of the club swing.
Thereafter, the upper portion of the tee of this invention often spontaneously resets or otherwise can be quickly reset, often without having to replace the spike in the ground, for reuse.
Thus, by this invention fewer tees are lost, and golf play is faster without the inconvenience of looking for missing tees. Also there is less clutter on the golf course of lost tees and fragments thereof, minimizing interference with course grooming equipment.
Additionally, the top portion of the tee of this invention is ideally suitable for imprinting names, logos, and messages, for example for purposes of advertising. Unlike other tees, these messages will be seen during the golf driving process, since they are not buried in the ground on the tee spike.